Always Go Back (Jack Reacher Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: Test Subjects

Gunner darted to his paws as he heard voices of men that he didn't know. Gunner twitched his ears as he threaded his muzzle through the bars of his cage, growling softly.

Skylar rose to her paws as well and tilted her head in confusion. "What's wrong, Gunner? What do you hear?"

"Nothing good," answered Gunner as he leaned forward, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. He knew that different people than normal had come in and that they smelled strange. They reeked of distrust and shady character. Gunner had been trained to detect these things and act upon it, but he couldn't do anything when he was in the cage that he was in.

Gunner started to pace back and forth, throwing his head from side to side as saliva nearly flung from his jaws. He let out a few soft whimpers as he started to gnaw on the bars. He drew backwards with his fur bristling when he realized that it wasn't getting him anywhere.

"It's okay," chided Skylar as she tried to keep her voice as calm as possible.

Gunner wasn't listening. The men were talking to the vets that worked at the shelter, when suddenly the men withdrew guns. They pointed it at the vets and Gunner felt his body tense in apprehension and fear.

The sound of gun shots was enough to make Gunner lower down. One of the vets fell, followed by the other. Once they were on the ground, the strange men put two more rounds each into the vets, just to make sure that they didn't try to get up.

"Get those dogs and let's get out of here," growled the first man to another, smaller man.

Gunner drew back to the back of his crate and nearly coiled his body like a snake. Saliva dripped from his jaws as the larger man placed his fingers through the bars. "Here, dog." He then snickered.

"I'll show you pain," he growled to himself. He darted forward and sunk his teeth so far into the man's finger that he was sure that it was a heartbeat from actually snapping right off.

The man jumped back and howled in pain, pulling his fingers against his chest. He looked down at Gunner with his fingers bleeding profusely. Gunner licked the blood from his lips and gazed at the man in clear distain. Gunner paced as best he could, just daring the man to try again.

"Stupid dog," the man spat as he tried a bandanna that he had around his two bleeding fingers. "This is why I hate dogs! Let's just get these flea infested things to the lab so that we can get paid!"

The word 'paid' rang in Gunner's ear. Nothing good ever came from being paid for something. He had learned that in the military when they had used to sell weapons. Luckily, that wasn't his department. This was, though, since they were actually selling him.

Skylar suddenly let out a startled yelp as they opened her cage and thrust a lead over her neck. "Gunner!"

"Skylar," yowled Gunner as he came to the bars, butting his head against it in a desperate attempt to break free. He struggled and struggled, but he couldn't get to her.

Suddenly, his door opened and he charged right for the larger man. That's all he saw was red and the scent of blood was helping. Gunner was about to jump into the air, before he felt something hot and stinging strike his pelt. He turned and realized that something had been shot into his shoulder.

He sunk his teeth into it and yanked it out. But, whatever had been inside it had been administered. Gunner groaned a bit as he became dizzy and disoriented. He took one step and promptly fell, the entire world going black around him.

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"Gunner?"

Gunner moaned as he turned on his other side, favoring his injured shoulder out of convenience.